No, these are NOT the greatest hits of the 1970s. But this 8 CD box set was a tremendous value (I bought it for $5!). There’s a lot of marginal music here, but there are lots of wonderful songs, too. I remember many of the One-Hit-Wonders like Golden Earring’s “Radar Love.” But many of these songs must have been hits in Europe because I had no recollection of the songs or the groups–have you heard of Atomic Rooster? Do you see any songs here from the Seventies that you’re fond of? GRADE: B
TRACK LIST
Disc 1
1. It’s A Heartache /Bonnie Tyler
2. Back Home /Golden Earring
3. Ready To Go /Generation X
4. No More Heroes /The Stranglers
5. Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t ‘Ve?) /Buzzcocks
6. My Sharona /The Knack
7. Tomorrow Night /Atomic Rooster
8. Showdown /E.L.O.
9. Hello Suzie /The Move
10. Up Against The Wall /Tom Robinson Band
11. Man From Manhattan /Eddie Howell
12. Silver Lady /David Soul
13. Baby Jump /Mungo Jerry
14. On My Radio /The Selecter
15. Message To Rudy /The Specials featuring Rico
16. (You’ve Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back /Peter Tosh
17. Second Time Around /Shalamar
18. Bimbo Jet / El Bimbo
Disc 2
19. Spanish Stroll /Mink DeVille
20. Dyna-Mite /Mud
21. Magic /Pilot
22. Dancing On A Saturday Night /Barry Blue
23. You To Me Are Everything /Real Thing
24. And The Beat Goes On /The Whispers
25. Rapper’s Delight /Sugarhill Gang
26. Whodunit /Tavares
27. Grease Lightnin’ /John Travolta
28. Roll Over Beethoven /E.L.O.
29. Kung Fu Fighting /Carl Douglas
30. Dreams Are Ten A Penny /Kincade
31. Freedom Come, Freedom Go /Fortunes
32. Donna /10CC
33. Sugar Candy Kisses /Mac & Katie Kissoon
34. Beach Baby /First Class
35. Brother Louie . /Hot Chocolate
36. Be Good To Yourself /Frankie Miller
Disc 3
37. Child In Time /Deep Purple
38. Dance With The Devil /Cozy Powell
39. Long Cool Woman In Black Dress /The Hollies
40. Radar Love /Golden Earring
41. Silver Machine /Hawkwind
42. Milk And Alcohol /Dr. Feelgood
43. Motor Bikin’ /Chris Spedding
44. 2-4-6-8 Motorway /Tom Robinson Band
45. Rubber Bullets /10CC
46. Nutbush City Limits /Ike & Tina Turner
47. Your Generation /Generation X
48. Isn’t It Time /The Babies
49. Peaches /The Stranglers
50. Sylvia /Focus
51. This Perfect Day /The Saints
52. Cotton Fields /The Beach Boys
53. Here Comes The Sun /Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
54. He’s Gonna Step On You Again /John Kongos
Disc 4
55. Air That I Breathe /The Hollies
56. Don’t Throw It All Away /Gary Benson
57. When You Are In Love With A Beautiful Woman /Dr. Hook
58. Please Don’t Go /KC & The Sunshine Band
59. Loving You /Minnie Riperton
60. Tired Of Toein’ The Line /Rocky Burnette
61. Dancing In The City /Marshall Hain
62. Norma Jean Wants To Be A Movie Star /Cunningham
63. If You Can’t Give Me Love /Suzi Quatro
64. Hot Child In The City /Nick Gilder
65. Wall Street Shuffle /10CC
66. Popcorn /Hot Butter
67. Una Paloma Blanca /George Baker Selection
68. Lay Your Love On Me /Racey
69. Mexico /Les Humphries Singers
70. Darlin’ /Frankie Miller
71. If I Had Words /Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Kesley
72. Don’t Let It Die /Hurricane Smith
Disc 5
73. Hocus Pocus /Focus
74. Tears Of A Clown /The Beat
75. Something Better Change /The Stranglers
76. Little Girl /The Banned
77. Valley Of The Dolls /Generation X
78. Straw Dogs /Stiff Little Fingers
79. Judy Teen /Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
80. Tell Me Your Plans /The Shirts
81. 7 Teen /The Regents
82. Homicide /999
83. Brontosaurus /The Move
84. Don’t Take No For An Answer /Tom Robinson Band
85. Walk In The Park /Nick Straker Band
86. I Go To Pieces /Cotton, Lloyd & Christian
87. Don’t Give Up On Us /David Soul
88. Girls /Moments & Whatnauts
89. Boogie On Top /Rokotto
90. Ain’t Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman) /Joe Tex
Disc 6
91. Tiger Feet /Mud
92. Day That Curly Billy Shot Crazy Sam Mcgee /The Hollies
93. Proud Mary /Ike & Tina Turner
94. One Last Kiss /J. Geils Band
95. Money In My Pocket /Dennis Brown
96. O.K. Fred /Errol Dunkley
97. Midnight Rider /Paul Davidson
98. Cocaine /Dillinger
99. Sideshow /Barry Biggs
100. Gangsters /Special A.K.A.
101. Bad Bad Leroy Brown /Jim Croce
102. There’s A Lot Whole Loving /Guys & Dolls
103. Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel /Tavares
104. Emma /Hot Chocolate
105. Can You Feel The Force /Real Thing
106. American Pie /Don McLean
107. Sad Sweet Dreamer /Sweet Sensaton
108. Be Thankful For What You’ve Got /William De Vaughn
Disc 7
109. Wild Places /Duncan Browne
110. Make Me Smile /Cockney Rebel
111. Lost In France /Bonnie Tyler
112. Alright, Alright, Alright /Mungo Jerry
113. Touch Too Much /Arrows
114. Indian Reservation /Don Fardon
115. Man Who Sold The World /Lulu & David Bowe
116. Streets Of London /Ralph McTell
117. Give Up Your Guns /The Buoys
118. Piece Of The Action /The Babys
119. Rich Kids /Rich Kids
120. Knock On Wood /Amil Steward
121. Where Is The Love /Delegaton
122. Shame, Shame, Shame /Shirley & Company
123. Gonna Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse /Jimmy Helms
124. Shannon /Henry Gross
125. Memories /Memories
126. Time In A Bottle /Jim Croce
Disc 8
127. More Than A Woman /Tavares
128. That’s The Way I Like It /KC & The Sunshine Band
129. So You Win Again /Hot Chocolate
130. Swing Your Daddy /Jim Gilstrap
131. Rock Your Baby /George McCrae
132. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) /Al Martino
133. Calendar Song /Trinidad Oil Company
134. Can’t Get By Without You /Real Thing
135. Uptown Festival /Shalamar
136. You’re My Everything /Lee Garrett
137. Don’t Do It Baby /Mac & Katie Kissoon
138. Misty Blue /Dorothy Moore
139. Nice And Slow /Jesse Green
140. Boogie Oogie Oogie /A Taste of Honey
141. Gonna Get Along Without You Now /Viola Willis
142. Get Off /Foxy
143. I Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet /Gonzales
144. Movin’ /Brass Constructon

My Braun coffee maker died last week after 10 years of reliable service. The reviews for today’s Braun coffee makers didn’t impress me so I turned to the October 2017 issue of Consumer Reports to see how they ranked the current crop of coffee makers. The Cuisnart 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker (Model DCC-3200) ranked Number One. We have a Cuisnart toaster that we love. So we checked prices at various stores and online. AMAZON had the Cuisnart DCC-3200 for $72. The list price was $100. But Diane had a Kohl’s coupon for $10 off a $50 (or more) purchase. Kohl’s also sent Diane a 20% coupon on one item. Then, when the Kohl’s cashier cashed us out, Diane received $10 of Kohl’s cash! We got the Cuisnart Coffee Maker for about $68.

I don’t need a machine to grind my coffee beans. I don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. I just want a reliable coffee maker. What kind of coffee maker do you have? Do you like it? GRADE: A (after one week of operation…so far so good!)

Sadly, this is probably the last role Adam West played before his death on June 9, 2017 (my Birthday!). Batman Vs. Two-Face is another of the DC animated features. Like last year’s The Return of the Caped Crusaders (you can read my review here), Batman Vs. Two-Face resembles an episode from the 1960s TV Batman series. Adam West voices Batman, Burt Ward voices Robin, Julie Newmar voices Catwoman, and William Shatner voices Harvey Dent/Two-Face. I enjoy these animated movies. You might, too! Who is your favorite villain? GRADE: A-
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Special Features for Batman vs. Two-Face include “The Wonderful World of Burt Ward” featurette, spotlighting Burt Ward’s life away from acting, particularly his many benevolent activities, and his lifelong devotion to the health and welfare of dogs. Adam West Tribute Panel/2017 Comic-Con International 2017 showcases how, at the 2017 Comic-Con International in San Diego, a panel celebrated the life and times of the late Adam West, the legendary “Bright Knight.” Fans laughed, cried and cheered as actress Lee Meriwether (Catwoman from the 1966 Batman movie), director/writer/actor Kevin Smith, actor/radio personality Ralph Garman, producer James Tucker and moderator Gary Miereanu captivated the audience with anecdotes and tales about Adam West. The final special feature includes actors Burt Ward and Julie Newmar discussing various aspects of their lives, ambitions and inspirations.

The Girl Who Took An Eye For An Eye is the fifth volume in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series. Larsson planned to write 10 books about genius hacker Lisbeth Salander but died of a heart attack in 2004 after writing the first three books. David Lagercrantz wrote the fourth book, The Girl In the Spider’s Web (2015). You can read my review here. Lagercrantz is back writing this new Lisbeth Salander adventure. Salander is in a Swedish prison as a result of the events in The Girl In the Spider’s Web. The prison is ruled by a psychopathic inmate, Benito, who terrorizes both the staff and the other convicts. Salander, who can’t stand bullying, takes action. We also learn more about Salander’s past and how she got her dragon tattoo. Other themes like religious fundamentalism and the Russian mafia impact the plot. You’ll be thrilled by the dramatic conclusion! I don’t usually read books in a series after the original author has died, but I’m making an exception for this astonishing series. Are you a Lisbeth Salander fan? GRADE: B+

The 3-2 Buffalo Bills are coming off their Bye Week. The Bills are favored by 3 points over the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston has some shoulder issues so his performance today might be affected. If Winston can’t play, former Buffalo Bill QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will enter the game. Last week, when Winston was hurt, Fitz threw for almost 300 yards! A usual October game would feature wind and cold at New Era Field. But today, the temperature is expected to be in the mid-70s! Ideal football conditions…for August! How will your favorite NFL team fare today?

Mark Felt was the Number Two guy at the F.B.I. under J. Edgar Hoover. When Hoover died, Mark Felt thought he would be promoted to the top job. He wasn’t. Instead, Richard Nixon selected L. Patrick Gray (played by the creepy Marton Csokas). About the same time, the Watergate break-in occurred. The F.B.I. began their investigation, but the White House was meddling daily. We see Mark Felt (aka, “Deep Throat”), admirably played by Liam Neeson, stand up to all the corruption and conniving. Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House isn’t as good as the classic All the President’s Men. It shows how Government agencies work amid the tangles of politics in Washington. I liked Diane Lane as Mark Felt’s wife, but she isn’t given much to do. The sub-plot about Mark Felt’s daughter seemed like an add-on to me. But, all in all, Mark Felt captures the sleaziness of Watergate and the mechanisms that brought Richard Nixon down. GRADE: B

Generous Rick Robinson sent me the first five volumes of the SECRET AGENT “X” series published by Altus Press. I love pulp fiction and these wild adventures soar above many stories from that era. From 1934 to 1939, 41 issues of SECRET AGENT “X” were published. Altus Press is reprinting the entire series in nine deluxe volumes. Tom Johnson’s informative Introduction provides a clear history of the series. The text has been completely reset and all of the interior illustrations have been remastered. I’ve only read Volume One (542 pages!), but I can’t wait to read the rest of the series! If you’re looking for thrill-a-minute reading, SECRET AGENT “X” provides that in spades! GRADE: A-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction By Tom Johnson i
The Torture Trust 1
The Spectral Strangler 117
The Death Torch Terror 255
Ambassador of Doom 399

At the Shaw Festival, Brian Friel’s play about an Irish family dealing with dysfunction and the Great Depression is a mixed bag. The family is made up of five sisters who squabble a lot. The “glue” that keeps the family together is Kate, a teacher at the local Catholic school. She provides most of the income for the family. Katie’s younger sister, Christina, had an illegitimate child (who functions as a narrator). Katie’s other younger sister, Rose, has mental issues. Their older brother, Father Jack, spent 20 years as a missionary priest in Africa, but is sent home to Ireland because he “went native” and is suffering from malaria. Maggie, the most energetic and fun-loving sister, provides the narrator with riddles and the audience with her spontaneous humor and dancing.

As you can see, this struggling family fights against difficult odds. A movie version of Dancing at Lughnasa featured Meryl Streep as Kate and Michael Gambon as Father Jack. Be prepared for sadness and tragedy if you decide to see Dancing at Lughnasa. GRADE: B+

Last night, Diane and I went to the Steely Dan concert at the sold-out Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Of course, we saw only half of Steely Dan because Walter Becker died on September 3, 2017. Mid-way through the concert, Donald Fagan (the surviving half of Steely Dan) did a tribute to his friend. Donald Fagan performed with the Steely Dan Band: eight musicians and three lovely backup singers. Not a lot of chit-chat (fine by me!). They just played the hits I grew up with. Do you have a favorite Steely Dan song? GRADE: A-
SET LIST:
Fan It, Janet
Black Cow
Green Flower Street (Donald Fagen song)
Aja
Hey Nineteen
New Frontier (Donald Fagen song)
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Time Out of Mind
Book of Liars (Walter Becker song)
Black Friday
Dirty Work
Bodhisattva
I Want To (Do Everything for You) (Joe Tex cover)
Josie
Peg
My Old School
Reelin’ In The Years

Encore:
Kid Charlemagne
The Untouchables

Steve Oerkfitz recommended this 50th Anniversary Special Edition Blu-ray so I went out and bought it. Steve is right! This new edition is superior to the other DVD and Blu-ray versions I own of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966). It’s one of my favorite movies of all time. And, this package is full of great Special Features! Check them out. What’s your favorite Clint Eastwood movie? GRADE: A
Special Features:

Disc 1:
– 4K transfer of the Original U.S. Theatrical Cut Available for the first time in HD
– New Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas
– Trailers From Hell with Ernest Dickerson
– Newly Restored 2.0 Mono Audio
– Restored 1967 UA Logo
– Alternate Scene: The Optical Flip
– Deleted Scene 1: Skeletons in the Desert
– Deleted Scene 2: Extended Torture Scene
– GBU on the: animated behind-the-scenes image gallery
– Promoting GBU: Posters & Lobby Cards animated image gallery
– Sergio Leone Westerns: Original Theatrical Trailers
– Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
– English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio
– Reversible Art

Disc 2:
– 4K transfer of the Extended Cut
– Newly Restored 2.0 Mono Audio
– Audio Commentary by Film Historian Richard Schickel
– Audio Commentary By Noted Cultural Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
– Leone’s West: Making Of Documentary (19:55)
– Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and GBU Featurette Part 1 (7:48)
– Il Maestro: Ennio Morricone and GBU Featurette Part 2 (12:26)
– The Leone Style: On Sergio Leone Featurette (23:48)
– The Man Who Lost The Civil War: Civil War Documentary (14:24)
– Reconstruction GBU (11:09)
– Deleted Scene 1: Extended Tuco Torture scene (7:15)
– Deleted Scene 2: The Socorro Sequence – A Reconstruction (3:02)
– Vignette 1: Uno, Due, Tre (0:40)
– Vignette 2: Italian Lunch (0:43)
– Vignette 3: New York Accent (0:09)
– Vignette 4: Gun in Holster (0:58)
– Original U.S. Theatrical Trailer
– Original French Theatrical Trailer
– English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio
– Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono